Fallout: Olafida
by Stockiebasher97
Summary: The NCR sends Jaden, the Courier and his team to investigate the crumbling ruins of Orlando, Florida. The Eastern chapter of the BoS send Sevilla, The Lone Wanderer and the Lyons Pride to scope out the same ruins, but what happens when an unknown thrid party enters the mix.
1. Ch 1: The Courier's Package

8 years. 8 long years. 8 years since he'd won the day back in 2281 at Hoover Dam. He declared that day his birthday since he couldn't remember his own. He had very little to show for almost a decade of service to the NCR, as corrupt and political as it was, it's better than being a mindless Legionnaire or a will-less slave. It was better still than working for a man who clinged to the past for 200 years. Jaden, the Courier made sure he was welcomed in hell for what he'd done. Had he the patience or skill to run an empire, Yes Man would have been the best choice. But 8 years had changed everything. Boone re-enlisted and now led First Recon, he promised to never let Bitter Springs happen again, word round th camps was that he was seeing Col. Moore a lot more than anyone else. Cass rebuilt Cassiday Caravans after the NCR successfully tried and sentenced McLafferty and the Van Graff siblings, married and NCR private drafted to Hoover Dam after she went and kicked his door in, expecting the Courier, for a post battle fuck. After the Remnants disappeared as quickly as they'd arrived at the Dam, Arcade was nowhere to be seen. Veronica returned to be the errand girl for the Brotherhood at Hidden Valley, he'd heard she'd been promoted to Paladin after Hoover Dam, on par with McNamara and Hardin, but still she was the errand girl, the serving wench. Raul spent most of his time in his shack either fending off Cazadores or tinkering with some form of Pre-War tech brought to him by someone or another, Jaden was pretty sure that Raul had ... relieved himself with a few 'Ghoulettes' as he called them. Lily went east to find some solace in the fact she could return to the place of her family's origins. Rex returned to his Master's side everyday though and he had ED-E and Jane to keep him company in the now desolate Presidential Suite of the Lucky 38.

He was just downing his third bottle of Beer when the lift came to a stop. And out walked Jane. The prettiest woman in the world. Or the Mojave at least. He stood up from his chair and looked at his dogtags. Framed and placed on his desk. He wondered to himself had that man died on his birthday, had the man once known as the Courier, who brought the Legion to it's knees and even more impressively sent Legatus Lanius, back to Flagstaff disgraced after a battle of words, died at Hoover Dam, had he been better off diving off the Dam after General Oliver sent him to New Vegas. Jane walked up to him and gave him a little peck on the cheek before placing down a package on his desk. She went over to pet Rex.

Opening the package it was a holotape from Boone, Craig you giant bastard, he thought to himself after reading that he needed his help in Arizona, the Legion was dead, Lanius included and the NCR wasn't the cause. Jaden decided though this was an official mission, he wouldn't go as an NCR grunt, he'd be his own person. Opening the chest in front of his bed. He put on the riot gear once belonging to some poor fellow who'd met his end in Zion. After that he pulled on the sandy shaded jeans and duster. Grabbing the three weapons he would need most. The Survivalist's Rifle which he'd also picked up in Zion, the Ranger Sequoia which he'd been given as a reward for turning Chief Hanlon in, after he came back the wall on his right was colored ' Hint of Brain' and Chance's Knife. After pulling on the Riot Gear Helmet. he turned to see Jane waiting in the Reinforced Leather Armor he'd worn after winning big in the Vikki and Vance at Primm. He noticed she'd gotten the Ratslayer holstered on her back, with Lucky in one hand and Maria in the other. He also noticed she was more kitted out than he was, also carrying Joshua Graham's Pistol, the Light in Shining Darkness, and 'That Gun'. The four of them all went out to the newly created Southern Gate to the Strip. Where Cass and Raul were waiting. They boarded an old Army truck which Raul had been fixing, threw their duffle bags in the back and set out for Boone and this strange place called Florida.


	2. Ch 2: Olafide & Malefide

A cloaked figure watches intently as three beasts are thrown into the pit in front of her. One, her personal trained Fire Gecko, Sweet Jerome, a Yao Guai cub and an elderly Deathclaw. Her Jerome made short work of both before feasting on the flesh, bones and bile of his two victims. The figure demanded in a distinctly feminine voice for her 'Harlequin', a small man in bright colorful t-shirt, obviously a slave. "What do you see jester, a kind pet obeying it's master, or a savage beast, wild and untamed?" The man's silence said it all, the sweat dripped down his face in beads. He wanted to please his mistress with the answer she hoped for, but could not answer her out of terror. Though he'd never seen her face, he still could not imagine what creature lurked under the earth brown hood. The light turned and showed him a little of her face, pale white skin with small, black painted lips and an eerie grin with her pearl white teeth.

Within a second she was on him. His long black hair masking his view of her face. The last face he would never see. She made 2 small slits along the back of his neck from either edge of his spine to the sides, with her long, protruding canine teeth, before pushing him into the pit with Jerome and watching him tear her serf apart. She then waltzed back to her private room to shed her first skin, as was foretold by a prophet when she was a child, 'after your first kill, you must change or perish', pushing off the weighted yet light robes she'd worn since she was a bairn. Turning to look at her back in the full length mirror, she saw the long, slim tattoo of a woman with searing flames for hair riding a Cazador, she wandered into her shower. After about fifteen minutes of blissfully washing off the stress of creating the Olafidian Empire, day after day, week after week, year after year for ten years, since she was seven, she was intruded by one of her servants who caught her standing in her nakedness. After he stopped blushing he told her that the Two-Headed Bear was moving against them, and that they should have given the hordes of Caesar some of their own medicine, assimilation or extermination. At that moment she decided after he finished she would kiss him then kill him. Carrying on, he muttered something unintelligible about the Shadows of the Mojave and Capital falling upon the good will of the Olafides. Still bare for the world to see, she strutted over to him, giving her hips that little extra sway, she reached over and pulled him into a deep, passionate kiss and the man felt on top of the world, that was until he felt blood trickle down the arm at his side and he collapsed in a heap. Only seeing the raven hair of the mistress who'd just ended him, before the eternal blackness of death.

A shiver went down her spine as she felt the cold embrace of death take the man who had lusted after her for so long. A childhood friend, she'd forgotten his name long ago. Wearing a dark red armor that seemed to seep in and out of the metallic grey lingerie, the armor itself seemed to shift and reshape acting like a second skin. She stood and declared to the seemingly endless number of people "Olafidians, my Olafidians, in this time of great chaos, we must be resolute, our enemies fumble in the dark not realizing the danger awaiting them in the light, the two headed bear, that, for all it's efforts, will only devour itself, the bull, gored on it's own pride and stubbornness, the Khans, driven to extinction by the actions of their ancestors, in their ineffective hordes of the north, the Enclave, a shining example of democracy and incompetence and the Fraternity of Metal, weak, pathetic men hiding like the knights of a millennium passed, encased in cold, emotionless steel. We shall triumph over our adversaries. We will take pleasure in their demise and solace in the one superiority they have over us, that they are better at dying. A Courier and a Lone Wanderer make their way towards us with the strength of two nations behind them. But this nation will never fall to the hands of anyone. Now, who will lead you to your victory and your promised glory."

"Malefiden, Malefiden, Malefiden...". She grinned and laughed, the Courier was soon to deliver his final message and the Wanderer was to take her last walk. Her laugh died down as the men either continued to work or used what little idle time they had, and Jerome, her loyal companion lay curled up in a ball at her feet, before going to sleep, he burped up a piece of green, yellow and purple fabric.


	3. Ch 3: Brotherhood of Pittsburgh Steel

An eerie feeling went over the head of the Lyons Pride and her subordinate, Knight Captain Gallows. Even though she'd stopped the slavers here ages ago, she was sent to recruit new meat for the Brotherhood with the Lyons Pride, Sevilla decided to jumble up the patchwork power armor she'd liberated from it's cruel previous owner, Ashur, replacing the good pauldron with the one that had the Pride's logo emblazoned on it. Also wearing the Enclave Eyebot Helmet she'd found in the sewers under the Jefferson Memorial in 2277. She'd also created her own unit to determine suitability for entry into the Brotherhood, within the ranks of the DC locals, consisting of Star Paladin Cross of the Brotherhood, ex-raider Jericho, ghoul protector Charon, Super Mutant Fawkes, guard/prostitute Clover, Sergeant RL-3 and Vault Dweller Butch DeLoria and her loyal pet Dogmeat. They were known through out the Brotherhood and DC as Infinity's Eights.

The Brotherhood made a small base in the scrap city of Megaton and buried Owyn Lyons, no final hurrah, no brutal passing, just a small whimper in his sleep. Age, the one enemy that always wins. It was widely agreed that Sarah, his daughter and sole heir should take over as the new Elder Lyons. Her first act as Elder Lyons was to place the Lone Wanderer, her best friend, in command of her pride and joy.

The Pitt was bad for the BoS expedition, but the Alpha Lyon in the Pride was more concerned with her lover, Clover, who was with the Infinity's Eights in coastal Maryland at Point Lookout. After her trip there and return voyage to DC, she petitioned Owyn, and later Sarah to send people to deal with the inbred yokels, who'd mutated and evolved to be tougher than Super Mutants. They had a reputation with the local tribals and ghouls, and scary stories about them being raping, disemboweling monsters. They preyed on the virgin tribals and any new 'meat' that arrived and ventured too far into the swamp mist. The Vertibirds returned to the Citadel about the same time three weeks later. Clover was a nervous wreck, Charon and Jericho were comatose and Fawkes looked like he'd had trouble putting them down. Cross explained the hicks were dead, but not before the big daddy had punched Fawkes so hard he'd backflipped. The younger ones had also repeatedly raped Clover in front of Charon and Jericho, as they were captured. Dogmeat was almost skewered by a tribal on the edge of insanity. For four days she stayed by the bedside praying for the three injured friends. Clover was the last to wake, they made sweet love later that night.

The next morning, Elder Lyons ordered the Pride and the Eights to suit up and prepare for Florida.


	4. Ch 4: Raise the Flagstaff

It was a trap, it normally was. Though it took much longer for everything to go south than usual. This was a big problem. Deathclaw nests, easy. Cazadores by the meter, no problem. Crafty Raiders, who knew the long Arizona roads like they were there since the war, now he was terrified. Jaden's desert armour camouflaged him into the sandy hills in front of him and his group. The Jeep was out, so if they wanted to turn back, they'd have to walk. But Boone needed help, a rare occurrence if ever there was one. Friends stick together, and Jaden Riley and Craig Boone were better friends than most. Plus Boone still owed Jaden 50 caps for their drunken bet a few years ago, but he'd deal with that once they were back at Camp McCarran.

They started opening fire and somehow dispatched the hordes and hordes of drugged up psychopaths with relative ease, even Jane who wasn't half as experienced as Cass, afterward dusk fell and the group of 6 set up camp by the roadside, a short 2 minute walk away from their Jeep. Raul and Veronica went over to try and compensate for the lack of fuel, get the rusted pre-war carrier to take them the extra few miles to Flagstaff, finding no such luck. Had they gotten to Flagstaff they could have fuelled it up and gotten near enough to New Vegas that they could've taken their gear, abandoned the car and walked. The stars began to shimmer as Cass dozed off after her third barrel of whisky. ED-E floated near the jeep to protect it from scavengers during the night. Rex, being a cyberdog, who required no sleep, was on lookout duty the whole night. After the defeat of Caesar's Legion Rex's brain was replaced with the best qualities, best bits of cranial matter that the Courier could find, Rey's undying loyalty, Violetta's viciousness and Lupa's smarts. This happened while Raul placed the Mysterious Magnum he carried in the holsters of his vaquero outfit. Veronica settled down in a tent straight in front of the campfire, Jaden and Jane lay in the bedroll kit he'd picked up in the Divide, he often wondered on if he should have convinced Ulysses to return to the Mojave against the Legion.

At the crack of dawn, they all packed up and set off down the long, dusty, scorching trail to Flagstaff. Arriving there they scoured the wreckage of the Legions once proud citadel, looking for any sign of the First Recon crew. Berets, hats, armour, anything. Eventually, the sound of bullets whizzing through the air caught their ears. They sprinted to a triangle-shaped clearing, there they saw the First Recon, having a shootout with remnants of the Legion, 10 of Spades was unconscious and the new recruit, Private Bellamy was shooting left, right and centre at the Centurions, who cursed themselves by being beaten by two ex-servicemen, two women, an ex-Great Khan and a 45 year old man. By the way Corporal Betsy was checking on Bellamy, Jaden assumed they were an item. He felt glad for her. Especially since she'd personally charred Cook-Cook's body with his own flamethrower. Paciencia was firing three shots and killing three centurions. Fire. Fire. Fire. Reload. Repeat. Boone's combat style. One centurion was left standing, Corporal Sterling had disappeared, and all of a sudden La Longue Carabine fired off a shot through the arm of the Last Centurion. He crumbled to the floor and clutched his arm in pain. Silus had escaped Camp McCarran by masquerading as an NCR officer. Today there were no back doors, no hidden tunnels, nothing to spare him his life. Except, he told them the one thing they really wanted to hear. The location of the still breathing and disgraced Legate Lanius.

Before they could apprehend him, however. A shard of shadow pierced the Helmet he wore and he fell, blood seeping from the wound and mixing with the sand. A seventeen year old girl, wearing what looked like tattered rags, was in-between and in front of tall, strong men, who had black armour that seemed to shift and move of its own accord, like it was a second skin. Jaden bade the small girl to come over. He asked her for her name. Malefide was her reply.

10 of Spades had stood up, reloaded his Hunting Rifle and re-joined the group of people staring at the three strange people in front of them. The small girl strode towards them, black hair flowing behind her in the wind. Then the rags changed to appear like the black armour of the monsters on either side of her. "Messenger. Tell your pathetic NCR to stand down or be torn apart by the might of the Olafidian Empire." Jaden was about to retort before he saw the unusually large number of shadows above him. He looked down before the small girl punched him clear in the jaw, knocking him down and drawing blood inside the helmet. One kick to the side of his head and he was out cold. One of the large behemoths carried the bulky frame of the Courier over his shoulder like it were nothing. "Try to follow and you will meet a much worse fate. Even you, Legate." The group of eleven now turned round to see the tall, lean but still very much alive frame of Lanius, the Arizona sun beating down on his armoured back. The bearded steel helmet revealing nothing of the Courier's enemy's face. They all turned on a dime when Lanius nodded in the direction of where Malefide and her monstrosities were once standing. Gone, all of them, Jaden included.

"Before you end me and I have no doubt you could, hear my proposition." They all lowered their weapons, Boone kept Paciencia at an angle so he could quickly end the Legate's life if things went down. "While I hate degenerating myself and working with Profligates, they disgraced me, my Centurions and the Legion, I ask one simple question, yes or no. Will you allow me to travel with you to regain the honour I've earned and was stolen from me?"


	5. Ch 5: Ice Breakers

The enigma just woke up surrounded in a cell, surrounded by his guards. The desert armor still on him. Luckily he snuck in his combat knife. Everyone else pulled out some other kind of blade. They aal agreed to beat each other up if they dropped, or sheathed their weapons. A brawl ensued, Jaden punching, kicking, elbowing, anything to keep in the fight. One of them caught him good in the jaw. Another strike, right where the sun doesn't shine. One last bone cracking boot to the face was enough to knock him out again.

He awoke to the sight of an old looking room, vanity drapes all over the place. In too much pain to turn his neck, he was wondering what that music was, where it was coming from and who was playing it. Finally turning his neck to look at the pre-war piano, that took a lot of effort, he also realised he was chained down at the wrists and ankles. He saw a pale white hand pressing the keys of the piano so delicately and daintily, he was sure it was some young girl. Then Malefide stepped out from behind the curtain that hung between them. "One of your favorites, I believe, the irony, ain't that a kick in the head." As she stepped further into his newly shortened field of view, he saw she was wearing a midnight blue silk robe, tied at the waist with a white strip of satin.

"What do you want with.." he huffed, obviously angry, but was interrupted.

"Oh, hush, you have neither the time nor the patience to ask questions in my presence. Guard leave us, oh and give me the key to his shackles, I want to have my eyes on it at all times." she said, sweetly. The guard did as he was told, and with a small nod, turned and walked out the room. She sat on the table Jaden was shackled to, in between his left arm and leg, her own legs hanging off the table. "Before I release you, I want you to know I'm sorry. I didn't want you in the cells" She leaned over and planted a small kiss over his forehead, on his helmet before unlocking his chains. He was still too weak to stand on his own. She cupped both of his cheeks, or where they were on the helmet. " I've heard so much about you but I've never seen your face." She leaned over to remove the helm, but stopped herself. " No, I want it to mean something, to me and to you." If he could see himself he would swear he was blushing. This petit femme, who'd had her buddies KO him and bring him here, wherever here was, was smitten with him.

"You obviously brought me here for a reason. I'd like to know what it is." He said, gruffly.

Rubbing her index finger along the lines of the riot gear chestpiece, playfully, she giggled "All in good time, my courier. I will tell you why I summoned you here on two conditions. One: You willingly remove your helmet and agree to hear me out. Two: We share a glass of wine and see where things go from there." Ending that sentence with a small, wink, barely registering in the back of the brave and bold Courier's mind " Also, I... I don't really know how to say this, I need your help."

"Look, if it's about the birds and the bees I'm the wrong person to ask." He said, a more playful side of him emerging.

"No, although I would love a lesson. I need your help in a matter of espionage, among my own people. They claim they've been loyal to me for years, but I can't help feeling something is happening. Something I'm not aware of. But that can wait till morning, for now, how about that wine i promised you.


	6. Ch 6: The Silver Suns

As plans went, this was one of the worst, was the musing of one Butch DeLoria. Wading up to their waists in mud, swamp water and who knows what else, was not exactly how he'd wanted to spend the fourth week of the six week long journey from DC to Florida. They'd reached South Carolina, or what was once South Carolina, but now a wet, swampy place, even more decrepit than DC. With all of this new outlandish scenery, it stood to reason that there would be new wildlife to accompany it. Clambering over tree roots, tripping over decaying corpses and their skeletal frames below the murky waters. Charon, despite never being cheerful, was even less so now they'd entered unfamiliar territory. Butch tried to crack a few jokes, the only thing he cracked was his jaw after one strong right from the abnormally large ghoul. Their leather armour protected them from pellets and very little else. Clover, being the aberrant of them all, the only female not in power armour, decided to use her feminine agility to scamper up the trees, enveloped by a thick steamy mist. Dogmeat was running along the tree roots, with phenomenal dexterity, even for a dog. Suddenly Cross told them to halt, and sure enough The Lyons Pride and Infinity's Eights stopped on the spur of the moment. A loud bang came from the treetops, Clover shrieked as a shrunken head dropped in front of her, then she promptly fell into the mire.

It was only after marching for about ten more minutes that Sevilla realised she hadn't heard from Jericho, looked back and realised he was missing, they turned around, after walking about thirty feet before them was Jericho's prized assault rifle slathered in mud. Before they could shout for their missing comrade, snares snagged their ankles and hoisted them up into the air, where they saw Jericho muffled by what looked like some old rags.

The tribals, known as the Silver Suns, celebrated with the biggest feast any of them had ever seen. The Pride was stripped of their armour, which the heathens then presented as an offering to their chief. Everyone was angry at that, especially Sarah Lyons, who sensed the event happening from half a continent away. The feast continued, with many of the other captured folk being devoured by the CD adorned savages. As if by chance, a samurai dropped from the trees, his dai katana slashing through discs, flesh and bone alike, just as a blonde man in white combat armor started firing an alien blaster, making tribals run in terror, stopping at the sight of a man in a plaid shirt and trilby firing his revolver into the sky. After, an African-american with a shotgun untied them, helped cover their retreat and recovered their apparel the lot of them made a straight run for the coastline.

After evading the brutes for what seemed like days, they all found their way to a shallow part of coastline, where a large water monster waited, a Duchess Gambit. Sevilla ordered them to board the large steamboat, it was large enough to hold all the weight and people.

Sevilla recognized and embraced her sister in arms, Somah, her cellmate aboard Mothership Zeta, she'd still be locked in that pen if not for her. Paulson, the plaid and trilby, gave her a silent nod from the corner, he obviously wasn't the hugging type. The Samurai talked gibberish, before Somah informed everyone about a translator they'd found aboard the ship, so she could understand him, but no one else could. The man in white introduced himself as Elliot Tercorien. Everyone else was stunned to learn that she'd really told the truth about being abducted by amoeba. The ship's captain told them to bunk up and set their equipment in a footlocker, it would take them 2 weeks to reach their next destination, the Georgia coastline.


	7. Ch 7: Olafide Uncovered

Wine after wine after wine. As he fell asleep Jaden, the Courier had a small notion, if last night would be history, and tomorrow is a mystery. What would he prefer? The history he now had with someone who knocked him out and had him all to herself, or the mystery of what he would see tomorrow, if anything. He must have dozed off while pondering, as the next thing he remembered was the sunlight coming in through the translucent black drapes.

Getting up, noticing he still had his riot gear and trench coat on was always a good sign. Then an almost angelic voice chimed from what could only be guessed was a bathroom. "Your helmet's on the table, breakfast is on it's way up." That was all it said before it started humming to the tune of Tonight I'm Loving you. He noticed he had bed head from last night and found a comb, black with a gilded pattern adorning it. Sitting down in front of the mirror, he slicked his hair back to it's usual shape, clinging to his scalp, as tightly as possible.

"Breakfast, mistress." came a male voice. As quickly as he'd said that Malefide had rushed to the door informing the servant to wait for a few minutes so she could get dressed. She ushered, hushedly, for Jaden to go into the bathroom, to which he unusually agreed to. After getting comfy in one of the stalls, he could make out pieces of a conversation. "Yes I know, mistress, but... ".

" I don't care, you go to the commander and tell her with my authority, anyone, even those purple giants, in the pits will be freed if they're victorious against each other." came the voice of Malefide from the main room. Obviously trying to get the serf to give them some privacy.

He heard the large wooden doors slam shut and exited the bathroom." So this is just like Caesar's Legion, a large scale slaving operation."

"Well, to an outsider such as yourself that is usually the first conclusion that's reached. However we are nothing like the Legion. All the tribes that are part of this empire joined willingly, no force, no threats. Anyone who didn't want to join was left in peace. All the tribes have helped to shape this empire's culture. The only ones put to the sword are the ones that openly try to fight us, be it one man or a whole tribe. Now would you like some tea?" was the reply from Malefide, who despite the strong accusation just placed upon her and her people, still kept a sweet, sincere smile on her plaster white face. Her long black hair and black lipstick almost made the smile look sinister.

"Tea?" the man said, confused. What the hell was tea?

"A nice relaxing drink, good for nerves, especially with sugar and honey, speaking of, some toast, meat, eggs and beans, all ready to eat." she spoke plainly.

So, the man sat down and started to cut up his meat, some fried bacon and pork sausages, while he was eating he asked about the purple giants.

"Oh, them. Two wanderers, found relatively close to the entrance, half starved, one acting like an elderly lady, or a gardener, the other had the word Dog carved into his chest." Malefide said.

"So why are they in this pit." Asked the man, still eating. "Well, our locals are accepting of each other, but even they have difficulty keeping obvious non-human, creatures on their list of good people" the young woman stated. "The pit was the only place they could be kept for their own safety." He almost roared "Free them.".

"I can't, my Commander Scorn would kill them the instant they stepped out of the building. She has a bit of a problem with self control. If provoked she will fight. But one thing she does respect is strength. If someone like you were to best her, she would accept your decision."She said.

"Why don't you order her to do it." Was a very grumpy reply. Malefide said, informatively "I could, but she is also tasked with protecting the empire, from anything, at any cost. She'll kill them rather than risk a civil war, with them as the instigators."

"I'm going to deal with her. With or without you." He said, looking over his shoulder to finish that sentence.

"Hahahaha. Oh you really do amuse me so much. But in all seriousness, leave this room without me and you won't be coming back." She giggled, smirking for the last part

Jaden turned on his heel and marched up to her throne-like seat at the end of the dining table. "Was that a threat. Because you know I don't take kindly to intimidating comments, let alone threats. If you know me as well as you claim you do." He said, under his breath.

She simpered, "Oh, I know so much more about you than you could ever believe.". Now standing toe to toe with her idol, she strutted to grab a long red stained trench coat and put it on. "But that is more for later on, my dear sweet courier." She said tauntingly. " Now, we'll take a trip into town, then. Shall I introduce you to Commander Pias Scorn." The Courier reached his helmet, placing it over his head, then down to lock it into place. As he opened the door, he heard Malefide clearing her throat behind him, level with the coat rack she'd taken the trench coat from, now also wearing a pair of green tinted glasses and a brown stetson.

"Won't you escort your lady to her destination." She said, with a very sovereign aura about her. He returned to her and she linked her arm with the dusty, tattered sleeve of his trench coat.

After an hour of wandering through Olado, the capital of Olafida, exploring shops, the gunsmiths, cafes and the back alleys and side-streets of this rival-to-the-NCR's capital, they finally arrived at the guard barracks. "Sometimes I love exploring the fine jewel of a city incognito, makes me feel more comfortable." Malefide commented as they walked towards the dilapidated pre-war police station.

"I would think as queen, ruler, empress, whatever, you would feel secure with total power." He said, vexed.

With a sad, somber expression, she replied "That's because you've never led anything big, no offence, but this is much bigger than your little band of heroes, ex-villains and everything inbetween. You percieve the world as black or white, I see it as one big shade of grey, trying to see how all the colours shape up, I've learned this because I've been a regal since I was seven. Seven, do you know what that's like, the burdens I had to bear, I need time away from being a ruler. I always win, I always get what I ask for. I'm never alone, yet always isolated. Always by myself in a room with hundreds." She started to weep. Jaden clutched her close to his chest, comforting her as she spilled tears.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you." said the consoling voice.

"I know." Came the thin silent reply. After drying the water from her eyes and regaining her composure, she reminded him "Now, don't your friends need saving."

"Shit, yes they do." was the obviously worried response. They both walked into the guard barracks.

As the door closed behind them, they could see a woman sitting at the desk in the middle of the room, with flowing red hair, not a hair shade of red, _red_ red. She rose her head so her eyes met the two people who just entered, her golden-green orbs staring intently at the newcomers. "Why are you here?" She asked, bored.

"I'm here to speak with Commander Scorn". The taller one, with the helmet on, said, muffled.

"Anything you can tell to Commander Scorn, you can tell.." she said before being cut off.

"No, I'd like to speak to the head honcho here, not her bitch secretary." The man said, raising her ire. She also saw the smaller female stifle a grin.

The woman stood up, brushed the red hair behind one of her ears before saying "Commander Pias Scorn, at your service, you vile tongued cur."

"Excellent, I've got two friends in the pit who..." He started to say before being cut off by a kick to the gut.

She said, "So you think that by insulting me and making demands, I'd follow your orders. No,no,no, that's not how I work, If someone underneath me orders me to do something, I kick them to death. However, that wouldn't work on a fine physical specimen, such as yourself. So I think I'll indulge us both with a little wager."obviously confident in both his answer and the outcome.

Grunting, Jaden said, "What kind of wager?".

"Steel cage, no rules, first person to give up, knocked out or fails to stand within the limit, loses. I win you and your friends spend the rest of your miserable lives working in the pit. If by some incredible stroke of luck you win, you and your friends go free, I'll even let that _bitch _comment slide."

"Your on."

As though genuinely concerned she said to him "Who is that you're with? Sister, cousin, lover." Whispering the last word. "It doesn't matter. if I were you I'd say your goodbyes now, you've got ten minutes till the screaming starts" She finished with a sadistic smirk.


	8. Ch 8: Iron Resolvement

"Ready for a world of pain and punishment." Said the 6 foot skyscraper of a redhead standing across from him. She, obviously ready for the conflict to start raised her arms to deflect his punches.

"That depends, are you?" Said the man as the dust and sand settled around his feet and ankles, the small particles giving way beneath him. Encircled by an octagon of steel fencing, and given how confident his opponent was, he guessed she was experienced with this format of brawling. Trying to goad her, he said "I'll even give you the first punch. Go on. Take the…" He would have continued with the 'first strike', had she not already taken the initiative. Blood and sand swirled in front of his eyes. She'd busted him open in one punch. Now she was going to pay.

Ditching his long brown trench coat and hoarding a handful of sand, he stood up. Then it was all a blur, he'd thrown the sand at her, but she'd pushed him down and rolled over his back, landing a high kick to the nose, now that was bleeding too. On his back again he could barely make out the crowd chanting 2, then 3, then 4. By 5 he was back on his feet.

"Ready to give in yet." She mock panted, faking fatigue, pausing for a forced breath ever word or so. The tassels of her epaulettes bounced as her shoulder heaved from her false heavy breathing, the red hair bouncing carelessly over her shoulder blades. He stood ready, as she encroached on his personal space. Gripping her head in between his bicep and pectoral muscles, he threw her over, leaning so he'd land back first on the ground, making escape ever harder. The agile little minx didn't fall for his ploy, landing on her feet and palms, her back now arcing over the sand. She slipped out.

Backing off, warily biding her time to strike, she tried to distract him, with basic phrases for diversion, like what's that, or is that really happening. Finally, after dodging his attempts at grappling, she leapt into the air, wrapping her right arm round his neck and linking it with her left. She then ensnared the small of his back and his stomach and leaned down back first against the granules of silicon that functioned as a floor keeping his head as low to the ground as she was.

'This isn't good'. Was what Jaden was thinking. Scorn hadn't broken a sweat, hell she was jesting with him. This wasn't as fair a fight as he was expecting, 'I need to get out of this little predicament soon' was the notion that followed. Blood rushing to his head, and therefore leaving him faster. He spluttered as every time he tried breathing in, he got air and sand. Desperate, his free arms clawed at the sand, trying to find some kind of solid floor to push against.

Tauntingly and in a childish tone "Aw, what's the matter can't take a few hits from a girl? Face it you can't win." The amazon said. Making the crowd of spectators cheer and howl with laughter. She gritted her teeth and tightened the hold. From beneath her she could just make out what he was saying. "I wasn't aware they considered bloatflies as women folk here." That just made her madder, she was the woman of many men's passions. No one would disrespect her. Not some outsider, not a local, not even her sole superior, no one.

"Clearly you've not learned your lesson yet, mongrel." She spitted out, emphasising _mongrel_ to appease the audience, but keeping a straight face to show she wasn't rattled. Then she felt his strong bear-like arms grip around her spine and hoist her off the sand, slamming her back first into one of the eight pieces of chain like steel surrounding them. Clutching at her back in agony, the taller man backed off, attempting to regain his composure.

"So, if we're fighting in the sand: and I'm a mongrel does that make you a bitch." Came the man's smart-alec remark. Now she was pissed off. Her face contorted with rage and ferocity. She launched herself into a mount over his frame and began sending sloppy, unfocused blows towards his head, all of which he blocked with his forearms. One quick elbow to the jaw knocked her off of him and side first into the sand. She quickly dispatched her black military top, swapping it for lighter, but less restricting attire, her white sleeveless underneath. Two high, fast strikes towards his facial features. Both missed by just millimeters. He stretched his fingers, so his palm came flying full force at her, she caught it. "Tut, tut, tut. You're getting sloppy." she said, cocksure. That was before she realized where his left foot was. In an instant she was on her back, the sand grains stinging against her exposed neck and arms.

His mockery continued, "Funny, I thought you'd be used to lying down for bigger, stronger men."

"Ah, there is that refreshing humor I've missed for so many years in a fight. Surely you can feel that spark that two great warriors get when they meet in conflict." she purred.

"If you're asking me out. I'm taken, but flattered." was an honest reply.

"No, that spark. The spark that makes you want to wring the life out of the enemy."

"I prefer some shotgun diplomacy. But to each their own." He proclaimed.

Her legs ensnared his and dropped him to his back, he didn't stay. Trading blows, blocking each other. Almost a well choreographed tango. Malefide watched impatiently as her prize soldier and her prize man went at it, each sometimes biting dust. Finally, Jaden brought Scorn to the floor, scrubbing the sand in her face. One hand slid quickly under her right arm and across her chest to clasp his left hand which was across her shoulder blades. Then he cranked back and after several minutes of excruciating torment, she finally gave in and sank to the floor in despair and pain, surrendering. The crowd began to get rowdy, before they saw Malefide and cooler heads began to prevail.

"Aaaagh." Scorn wailed. Jaden, ever the gentleman offered her his hand as a sign of respect. She slapped it away. "Why should you take pity on me, and better yet why should I accept it?"

"Cause it's either let me help you out of this arena, or you're crawling. And I don't pity you, I only pity the dead." He told her, bluntly. Grunting, she accepted. Placing one arm over his shoulder, they started to walk, at a snails pace towards the newly opened cage door. "I'll get someone to look us over, repair us, I can handle myself from here." She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Thanks are in order, I suppose though." She stared at the floor, the red hair covering most of her face. "If you ever want round 2 you come find me."She said with a playful grin.

Scorn limped towards the medical bay. "That's the first time I've seen her smile in years." Malefide said to the victor, appearing like a ghost.

"Bwahh, when did you get here? Please don't creep up on me like that." Jaden said, half in shock.

"You don't realize how infrequent this occurrence is. Only you and five others have ever made her crack a bodacious smile."

A short woman in a nurse outfit beckoned him into her infirmary. "I'll wait for you at that cute little cafe we passed on the way here." Malefide stated as the door shut behind her.

"Okay, time to give you a quick check-up." came the voice of one Pias Scorn.

"Sorry, my vision's a little blurry. Did I not just kick the living shit out of you."

"Yes, but I'm also the only nurse that didn't leave in a huff after the bookies just made a mint on you winning." she said, a little insulted.

"You're a nurse."

"Don't sound so surprised, big things can come in small packages. Take you for instance, you're quite supple when you want to be." Scorn replied.

Jaden muttered to himself, puzzled. "Then who was that, that just called me in?"

"Your vision must be bad if you didn't recognize me calling for you." she said as a white powder fell into her cupped right hand.

"What's that?" Jaden asked, inquisitively.

"Just sugar, to numb the pain and prevent or slow infection". She turned and tripped over one of her shoelaces. She squealed as she twisted towards the bench Jaden was sitting on, knocking it and by proxy ,him, to the floor, she landed rapidly after with a thud against the riot gear. She hit her face off the armor, but could vaguely make out "Don't get any bright ideas." Regaining her perception, she noticed her left hand was at his belt.

"You and I never speak of this again, agreed."

"Only if you make me scream first" she retorted with a coy grin. They both stood up.

"But..but...but my friend wanted to meet me at that cafe and..." He stammered before being broken off by the lady in the room.

"Oh, spoilsport. She doesn't know how long that check-up could take. And admit it not just to me, but to yourself as well. You're ensnared by my feminine charms, aren't you." she said, pouting.

"I..I..I.." he stuttered.

"I..I..I..I'll take that as a yes".

It became a blur from there, as Jaden recalled a particular mission he was sent on in 2282.

In the meantime, Jane and the Courier's party press on towards Florida, with two of the team constantly at each other's throats.

"No, he's alive. He don't die so easy. You should know that, given the fact the Legion has a list of soldiers that you sent after him. More often than not they end up in one of those head bags he was constantly sending you." Jane said, frustrated.

"Your Courier was vicious, brutal and efficient, yes. But a squad of my best legionnaires, including one that escaped from the most secure NCR facility outside of Shady Sands, were just taken out by three of their people. If they couldn't live, there's little chance he could either." Lanius said, the iron masque obscuring his voice and face.

The First Recon team didn't trust Lanius, not one bit. But even they needed him for what was to come. They were passing by Santa Fe, one of the few pre-war cities still relatively intact and therefore one of the most dangerous.


End file.
